The Pittsburgh Steelers face legitimate questions at the quarterback spot following the major talent acquisition periods of the offseason. Not only have they missed out on solid starting options for 2025, but there is not a known foundational piece to carry the franchise forward.
There are some veteran options they could explore through a trade and the Aaron Rodgers connection remains a real possibility. But until pen goes to paper there is nothing final in these cases, especially with Rodgers.
That leaves Mason Rudolph atop the Steelers' depth chart. Rudolph has starting experience both in Pittsburgh and with the Tennessee Titans though he is not considered a long-term solution.
He will serve more as a bridge to whichever quarterback gets the reins to the franchise next. But that does not seem to bother him much months out from the start of training camp.
For Rudolph, he is mostly excited to be back Pittsburgh and representing a vibrant sports environment. He made that perfectly clear while volunteering at the Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon on Saturday.
"Being back in the city of Pittsburgh, it’s a sports town like no other. Any time we get to repay that, it’s always a fun opportunity," Rudolph explainde to local television station WTAE.
Now the competitor in Rudolph hopes to prove the Steelers right in reclaiming him during free agency. The Steelers did take a flier on Will Howard late in the draft, but neither he nor Skylar Thompson is expected to command the starter's reps among this group.
That familiarity with Pittsburgh and holdovers from the coaching staff during his previous stint should play into his favor. He spent his first five seasons with the Steelers before leaving last offseason for the Titans.
Whether or not the Steelers have one more move planned or end up bringing in Rodgers, they know they have at minimum a known commodity in Rudolph to get them through the season.
